


The vote

by jadztone



Series: Sherlock Nanowrimo [9]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Gen, I didn't actually think he would win, I thought I was being cute at the time, it's about the election
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-04
Updated: 2017-07-04
Packaged: 2018-11-23 02:47:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11393778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jadztone/pseuds/jadztone
Summary: The gang decide to place bets on who will win the US presidential election.  Turns out a couple of people had an advantage because they knew what to look for.





	The vote

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this on election night, November 8th, and posted it to my tumblr. Then I deleted it at a couple days later because I was so upset. Then I added it back at the end of the month because it counts towards Nanowrimo. I'm still bitter, though. 
> 
> This is part of a series of stories I wrote for Nanowrimo and posted on my tumbler page, sherlock-nanowrimo.tumblr.com. I was doing a story a day, generally leaving them open-ended if I wanted to add on to the story later in the month. The ones that I did add on to will be posted on AO3 as multiple chapters. They will all be posted as complete, with no expectation that I will ever revisit them. I haven't changed them from the way they were posted on tumblr, they have their issues, but I like to think of them as diamonds in the rough. The stories contain multiple crossovers with other fandoms, and multiple ships.

Mrs. Hudson came into the flat with a tray of snacks.  As she set them on the kitchen table, everyone hurried over from the living room to crowd around the tray. She tsked.  “I’m not your housekeeper, I don’t know why you always rely on me to feed you.”

Greg said around a mouthful of crisps, “Thank you, Mrs. Hudson.”  There were other murmurs of thanks.

They all sat back down, and Molly held up a piece of paper.  “Mrs. Hudson, you haven’t cast your vote, yet.”

“Oh, I probably shouldn’t. I have an unfair advantage, you see. I lived in Florida.  I know the Americans better than you all.  How about I be the keeper of the envelopes and the pool money?”

John pointed his envelope at Sherlock.  “You probably shouldn’t play either.  I know you have some sort of advantage that you’re not telling us about.”

Sherlock raised an eyebrow. “Only my superior intellect.  It’s an advantage, but it isn’t unfair.  You just don’t like it that I’m always right.”

John shook his head. “No, it’s not just your intellect. Nobody could that accurately guess how people will vote.  You even guessed Brexit correctly!  I know you know something.  You have a crutch.”

Mary smiled slyly.  “I think I know what it is.”

John turned to her. “Well?”

She shook her head. “No, he has to be the one to tell you. Besides, I’m working on being able to use that same crutch, it just requires more study.  After tomorrow’s outcome, I should be able to tell if what I’ve been observing is correct.”

John looked exasperated. “Well, that’s not cryptic at all.”

Sherlock narrowed his eyes at Mary.  “Oh, I think you’ll get it right.  It’s not really that hard once you know what you’re looking for.”

Greg tossed a crisp at Sherlock.  “Would you quit being smug and write your vote on the card?”

Sherlock deftly caught it and put it into his mouth.  Deliberately munching loudly, he took a card and with a flourish he wrote down the name of one of the U.S. Presidential candidates, being sure to cover it with his other hand.  He stuffed the card in an envelope and sealed it, then wrote his name on top.

Everyone else finished writing their votes and submitted their envelopes and pool contributions to Mrs. Hudson.  Molly said, “Be sure to put it somewhere safe, where even Sherlock won’t get to it.” She gave him a suspicious look.

“Don’t you worry dear, it will be in the safest place in the world.”  With a wink, she stuffed the envelopes into her bra.  Everyone laughed.

Greg stood up.  “Well, I better go, I have to be in early tomorrow. We’re meeting here to open the envelopes?”

Mrs. Hudson nodded. “I’ll have a nice breakfast spread for everyone.”

Molly stood up, looking confidently at everyone.  “I know I’ll be taking home some of the winnings.  I’ve think I’ve got these Americans figured out.”

John frowned thoughtfully. “You know, we’re so concerned over winning that I don’t think any of us are really considering the implications of who might actually become President of the United States.”

Greg blew out a puff of air. “I have really considered it. Which is why I’d rather think about the money.  Good night everyone.  Good luck.”

The next morning they all crowded around Mrs. Hudson’s kitchen table for breakfast.  She pulled out the envelopes and distributed them to each player.  “Well, I’m dying to know who guessed right.”

Greg tore his envelope in half.  “Don’t even need to open it, I didn’t get it right.”

Molly did the same with hers.  “Guess I don’t know Americans as well as I thought.”

John lobbed his envelope into the bin on the other side of the room.  “I can’t even figure out my own fellow countrymen, much less that lot.”

They all turned to Sherlock. He opened his envelope and pulled out his card and held it up.  The others loudly exclaimed.  

John threw up his hands. “How!?  How could you have possibly known?  Were you in America the whole time you pretended to be dead?  Got to know them pretty well?”

Sherlock shook his head. “No, actually, I haven’t even been once.”  He turned to Mary.  “what was your vote?”

Smiling widely, she opened up her envelope and showed them that she had the same name as Sherlock’s. John looked at her aghast.  Mary laughed and then glanced at Sherlock.  “Shall I tell them?  I mean, now that we’ve made it obvious we have a crutch, they’ll never let us play again.  Might as well tell them.”

Sherlock smirked and nodded his head.  “Go ahead.”

Mary turned back to the others.  “I know he doesn’t talk about his work much, but you can’t forget that Mycroft holds a very important position in the British government.  He knows things, long before anyone else does.  Sometimes I think he influences outcomes.  Maybe even directs them.”  She looked askance at Sherlock.

He shrugged, “I think a little of all the above.”

Mary nodded.  “Anyway, all you have to do is watch his behavior leading up to any significant political event, and if you can read him right you will know just what is going to happen.  Apparently I’ve figured out how to read him.”

Sherlock nodded. “Well done, Mary.”  She beamed at him.

John picked up Sherlock’s card and held it up.  “So you’re saying we have Mycroft to thank for this?”

Sherlock raised his eyebrows and said in his exaggerated way, “Yep!”

**Author's Note:**

> See, I ended up blaming poor Mycroft for this mess. *sad trombone*


End file.
